Pokemon: Online
by totaldile
Summary: Pokémon: Online is the most massive anticipated virtual reality MMORPG of all time. However, disaster strikes when the players within the game find themselves trapped, unable to log out. As the mastermind behind it all gloats in their faces, they are told this: if they die in the game, they die in real life. There is no escape. The only way to win...is to beat the game.
1. Chapter 1

The feel of the grass beneath my feet, the lustful breeze that tugged at my hair, even the cerulean sky – all of it was fake. It was all just a fragmented illusion to make me think – to make us think – that this little world was in some way real. If 'real' was even a word you could use to describe something virtual.

Three or four months, we'd been trapped in here – the five hundred thousand or so gamers who'd so eagerly bought a copy of Pokemon Online that first day. It was Nintendo's latest venture, their maiden voyage into using the NerveGear. It was also, as you can probably tell, hugely popular.

Pokemon Online was a compilation game – it contained a 'route' for each region in the Pokemon Universe. There was Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos. Unfortunately, you couldn't transfer your items or pokemon between routes – that would completely disrupt the difficulty of the game. Instead, if one wanted to change to a different route, they would exit the region they were currently in, and start a new game in the region of their choice, via the Player hub. The Player hub was a surreal environment, that somewhat reminded me of a cross between Lumiose City from Kalos, and the Distortion World from Sinnoh. It was huge. Thing is, in the Player hub, there were no items, nor pokemon, nor much of a game at all. It was, essentially, a giant three-dimensional chatroom.

The actual regions were far more interesting. They were incredibly realistic, from the details on the leaves on the trees, to the way the strands of your hair moved as individuals, yet as a whole entity at once. The water was gorgeous, reflecting the way the sky moved, clouds fluffier than cotton candy, or carrying the weight of a storm if the weather was bad. You could feel every droplet of rain that fell. It almost fooled you into thinking that it was real.

Of course, there were some draw backs. You couldn't go everywhere – if you tried to go too far into the forests that surrounded every town, every route, you'd be met with a translucent blue wall that only appeared if you got too close. If you tried to a climb over a ledge, you'd slip and fall, as if it were insurmountable, when in reality it should have been easy to climb. If you tried to move a large rock, or a tree, you'd be met with a glowing sign saying 'Immortal Object'. There were other things, too. You couldn't reach into your backpack, and search for something. You'd have to bring up the menu, and select it. Only then would it appear in your hands in a blue flash of pixels and voxels.

What surprised everyone, I think, were the NPCs. They were almost mistakable for humans – if not for the sign that popped up in front of your eyes – "NPC" – you almost couldn't tell. You could talk to them, ask them for help, and even converse idly with them. They were almost…real.  
This carried over to the Pokemon. Each and every one had their own personality. Moreso, a new feature exclusive to Pokemon Online was that they now talked. Not just saying their name – there was no "Pikapika!" or "Squirtle squirt!". They all spoke fluent English – or Chinese, or Japanese, or Spanish, or French, or whichever language you'd set the game to. They were just as real as the people who played the game.

For me, the game began as any Pokemon game did – with a professor. However, since my gender, as well as calibration details such as height and weight, name and other preferences had been already input into my headset, it was more about me selecting and customising my appearance, and being introduced to the new mechanics of the game.

The Player hub was filled – and I mean completely filled – with players. It seemed like all five-hundred thousand players had decided to meander around the hub, chatting and finding friends. I had no such plans. I'd already arranged to meet with my best friend Brendan in Littleroot Town. Pokemon Emerald had been my first game I've ever played, so naturally, I would start there. Brendan's had been Ruby, so we both agreed to compete to see who could complete the game the fastest. I navigated my way through the crowds of people with some difficulty, until I found what I could only describe as a 'Warp Gate' that apparently led to Hoenn. It looked like a surreal, blurred image of Littleroot Town. I stepped through, and waited. A screen came up, prompting me to select a server. Obiously, all five hundred thousand players couldn't exist in the same server at once – that would mean Littleroot Town would have to have as many houses. I chose the server named 'Dunsparce'. There were only three hundred or so players, and it looked like Brendan had already logged in. The loading screen appeared, and that strange feeling of weightlessness came over me again. I'd experienced it when I'd played other games, and thankfully it was only briefly. Feeling weightless often induced nausea, and if it got bad enough, I imagined you'd wake up with a pool of puke on your stomach.

Yeah, nice.

Thankfully, I could feel my feet land on hard ground as a room came into view. It was a replica of that in the console version, except far more detailed. I was dressed in a white hoodie, and blue whitewashed denim shorts. I'd opted out of wearing a hat – it was uncomfortable with my high ponytail, which tickled the back of my neck. The room was quaint, to say the least. There was a bed, a computer, a desk and a clock. The time had already been set, automatically, in order to maintain 'Pokemon Time'. It was just after noon. I went downstairs, and greeted my 'mum'. Or, the NPC who looked after my house. She was watching TV, and as soon as she saw me descend from my room, she called me over. She looked like me a little, I guess, but nothing like my real mother. I supposed the game had generated the NPC's looks to match your own.

"Are you going out somewhere? The Professor wanted to talk to you."

I nodded.

"Yeah. See ya."

It felt strange, talking to someone who was apparently close to me, but I'd never met. I wondered if that was what amnesia felt like. Stepping outside, I was greeted with a huge town. Well, it wasn't quite as big as the city I lived in, but it was far bigger than any town or city in any Pokemon game so far. There was a house for every player on the server, all three hundred or so. People swarmed all around, chatting and running and playing. It seemed like some had already received their starter pokemon, and they were battling with them eagerly. Littleroot Town was a 'safe area', however. There were no wild battles, and you couldn't attack a player's pokemon unless the both of you agreed to battle. On the routes, it was fair game, and you had to protect yourself.

I guessed that, considering how there was no 'rival' per se in this game, it would be best to head to the Professor's Lab to figure out exactly how I'd receive my starter. It wasn't far away, just a few minutes' walk past rows of homogenous houses. It felt weird to walk around, where everything was so clean and natural. Each house had a garden, there was grass instead of concrete footpaths, and you could clearly see the sky. It was nothing like the jungle of concrete and steel I lived in, where seeing the stars was a luxury only those who lived at the highest of apartment towers could enjoy. I smiled. It was nice.

The lab was tall, imposing, as I guessed it was meant to be in the console version. A few players crowded around it, some rushing in whilst others loitered, chatting. Suddenly, I felt hands on my shoulders, and I shrieked. I turned around, whacking my assailant on the head with a outstretched fist.

It was just Brendan, who'd taken the opportunity to scare me in front of a crowd. Arsehole.

"You're a dickhead, you know that?"

Brendan grinned like a Cheshire Cat, blatantly pleased with himself. He rubbed his head.

"I would say I'm sorry, but then I'd have to lie to you."

I scowled.

"Arsehole."

He grinned. What a dick. I smiled, though, eventually. His happy-go-lucky attitude was too goddamned contagious. Besides, what was there to be mad about? Today was the day I'd been waiting for, for the past two years. I punched him in the arm for good measure, but shrugged my shoulders.

"You ready to get your starter?"

I tilted my head, a little confused. Brendan was raring to go, and dragged me to towards the entrance to the lab as we chatted.

"Do we pick it in the lab? Not outside, like in the console version?"

He nodded.

"Yeah, I overheard a couple of other guys talking about it. You ready? Let's go!"

Brendan ran through the door, abandoning me. Smiling wanly, I followed him.

Inside, Brendan was nowhere to be seen. I guessed that the lab was an 'event area'. Certain events in the game were crucial to the game's plot and progression, but wouldn't make sense in a multiplayer environment. 'Event areas' solved this problem by isolating certain areas of the game to a single-player environment, so that the game could progress logically without interference from other players. It was a pretty good idea. The professor greeted me, apparently knowing me by name. I didn't really pay attention though. When he gestured to the three pokeballs on his desk, I zoned back in.

"…let you pick one. Go ahead, choose!"

Touching the pokeball brought up a blue screen, which displayed the pokemon inside's species, pokedex number, type and level. I already knew which I would choose, though. Experience with the game dictated my choice.

"'Sup."

A little green gecko-esque creature with a red stomach and dark green tail materialised in a flash of red voxels. Her arms were folded, and she seemed somewhat indifferent. I introduced myself, unsure what to do.

"Uh, hi. I'm Total."

Yellow eyes blinked, facing mine.

"Miyoko."

She introduced herself evenly. I wasn't sure if she was hesitant, or if she was naturally a relaxed, cautious person. Person? Pokemon? Already, I found it hard to tell the difference. The professor ignored our awkward meeting, handing over to me a red PokeDex, my tool for instant information about the various Pokemon I'd encounter. I thanked him, and gestured towards the door.

"Shall we go…Miyoko?"

She nodded once, following me, tagging along at my ankles. I exited the lab, unsure what to say or think. Miyoko didn't attempt to make conversation, simply matching my footsteps. Her head only came up to my knees. When I left the lab, Brendan was waiting for me. He waved wildly at me. At his feet, a Torchic stood proudly. Clearly it held itself in high esteem.

"This is Benjamin!"

The Torchic puffed out it's chest feathers. Miyoko hid behind my leg. I had to take a moment to look behind me. It wasn't as if she was scared, just…shy? Was that it? I smiled a little, speaking softly.

"Hey, Miyoko, come and introduce yourself."

Brendan leant down to her level, grinning wildly. She obediently left the apparent safety of my legs, coming to greet him.

"I'm Miyoko."

Brendan smiled, patting her head roughly. She looked like she wanted to flinch away, but she simply closed her eyes, taking it. Brendan, being himself, ignored this.

"I'm Brendan. Nice to meet you, Miyoko!"

I smiled, bending down to greet Benjamin.

"Hey there, Benjamin. I'm Total."

Benjamin stuck out his chest even further, taking a moment to preen himself. Brendan laughed, and I smiled a little. Miyoko climbed my leg, resting on my shoulder. Then, in her soft voice, she asked,

"Is this alright?"

I nodded.

"Of course."

Then, suddenly, I was back at the Player Hub.

"What the hell?"

I wondered if it was a glitch or something. Our progress was saved automatically, so I wasn't concerned about that, but it was still weird. Weirder still, it seemed to have happened to everyone. People all around me looked utterly confused. Brendan was right beside me in an instant. He looked concerned, seeing as both Miyoko and Benjamin had disappeared.

"What the hell's going on?"

I shook my head. I had no idea. Apparently, everyone else was thinking the same thing. Suddenly, a huge screen appeared, way above our heads, attached to what I imagined was a dome covering the Player Hub. Seconds later, we were shown a video of a person in a black hoodie sitting at a desk, keyboard in front of them. I couldn't pick out the details of this figure, if they were a man or woman or anything else about them. My eyes narrowed, and I nudged Brendan.

"You reckon there's a bug or something?"

Brendan shrugged.

"Maybe. I've never heard of something like this, though."

Immediately, the figure began to speak. It was a booming voice, but did not identify the figure as male or female.

"Players of Pokemon Online, welcome. I hope you've all enjoyed so far the world I've helped to create."

Everyone's attention began to fix on the screen, and the hushed voices of five hundred thousand players died away as the screen became the center of attention.

"If you've enjoyed Pokemon Online, you may enjoy this last-minute addition I have added to the game, which I am about to announce. If not, you may be left feeling a little unhappy."

Brendan looked at me quizzically.

"What the hell? Last-minute addition? What kind of announcement is this?"

I shrugged my shoulders, not letting my gaze fall from the screen for a moment.

"Some of you may have already noticed this: the log-out button is no longer functional. Have no fear, this is not a bug or glitch. This is as I intended."

My eyes widened, and my face paled. What…the hell….was…this…?

"Some of you may have also noticed that not only do your Pokemon have HP bars, but now, dear trainers, so do you. Check your menu, you'll see it."

I complied with the figure's demands, following countless other players. Exclamations of shock and confusion could be heard all throughout the Hub. Brendan looked dumbfounded.

"What…the hell…."

"When your Pokemon's HP falls to zero, in any other game, they will faint. This is no longer the case. Once a Pokemon loses all their HP, they'll die. Permanently. Their data will be deleted from the game, and there is no way to recover it."

Exclamations of shock and horror resounded throughout the Hub. Brendan joined them, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"What the hell is this!? What are you trying to pull, Nintendo!?"

He wasn't the only one. I was so confused. Why the hell would anyone do this?

"As for the log-out button, there is no way to exit the game. If your helmet is forcibly removed, the NerveGear will overheat and destroy your brain. The only way to leave is to finish the game."

The exclamations got louder and louder, filling my ears.

"What the hell!?"

"What's the meaning of this!?"

"Why won't you let us out!?"

I felt frozen to the spot, rooted to the ground. My muscles were ice, incapable of motion. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen. My mouth was probably agape, too. I couldn't feel. I couldn't breathe. Not that breathing was even necessary in this fake world. I couldn't move. I couldn't move.

"I leave you all with one final message. If all the Pokemon in your party faint, you will be attacked by wild Pokemon. This will decrease your own HP bar. If your own HP bar falls to zero…"

The figure paused, seemingly for dramatic emphasis. I could have sworn I saw the glint of white teeth forming a smile underneath that black hoodie. The raucous shouts and screams and bitter cries of the players ceased, and they all seemed to hold their breath with me as they prayed what they knew was coming wouldn't come. But they knew it would.

And it did.

"…you will die. Both in the game, and in real life."

That was definitely a smile I saw.

"Permanently."


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow guys, thanks for such a warm welcome! I'll keep doing my best with this story, so I hope y'all stick around :).**

**Jfie - Wow man, thanks for such an awesome review! **

**You're right, opening chapters are tough. I find that whenever beginning a story, it's best to either describe the environment or begin with, as you said, an action scene. I typically like to start with action, but this time, as you can see, I began with description. Unfortunately, I went a little overboard with the exposition! The intent here was to draw readers in with the concept of virtual things being 'false' - essentially, cutting straight to one of the ideas I'm going to explore in this story. I do acknowledge though I went a bit too far xD. Perhaps it would have been better to sprinkle it all amongst the rest of the chapter. It's something to think about when I revise the story (I've written 20~ chapters for this story already, and I'm uploading new chapters when I find the time. At some point, I intend to revise the chapters so far with the feedback I've received, and my own personal nitpicks (:.)**

**As for the trees being immortal objects, the whole IO thing is pretty relevant and I'd be spoiling multiple twists if I delved further, so really it was more set-up for the plot than anything else. **

**As for the intelligent NPCS and Pokémon bit, yeah, the exposition again. However, have no fear, I dedicate a lot of time to exploring this idea as the story moves on, and it's a constant source of conflict in the story, so don't think I'm just going to leave that concept there as it is :). **

**As for the wild Pokémon thing, this gets addressed later on too :). It does have a rather logical reason behind it, though I do enjoy entertaining the concept! I think it'd be really interesting if this wasn't set inside a virtual , commercial game, where the rules are tailored to the players, rather than the players having to adjust to the rules.**

**Overall, thank you for such an extensive review! I really appreciate getting feedback on my work as I'm always looking to improve. :)**

**Red Alfa - Yeah, the concept was inspired by SAO, .hack and a number of other interesting works surrounding virtual reality! There's even a bit of DanganRonpa inspiration sometimes :). I hope it ends up different from SAO, because whilst I loved the concept, I wasn't fond of the execution as I felt they could have done so much more with it. I hope you keep reading!**

**Fawx999 - There will definitely still be Trainer battles - in fact, the whole Trainer battle thing is a huge part of this world! I hope you keep reading :)**

**IfTimeWasStill - Don't worry, familiarity with SAO is not at all necessary to enjoy this fic! You're right, the idea isn't new, but I've got a lot of ideas for this story, and I hope I can make it stand out. I'm really glad you think this is well-written so far - frankly, my writing only improves as the chapters move on, so I hope I can keep raising the bar. But you're right, the interactions do seem a little forced - I've been making a conscious effort to work on this, so hopefully in the next few chapters things will begin to seem a little more natural :).**

**Aozan - Hahaha, thanks man :). Have no fear, there's only one other SAO reference introduced, but I do it in a different way I think ;). Haha, I sure will man!**

**phishfood03 - I debated this, but this fic is more a crossover of Pokémon, SAO, .hack, 1/2 Prince and The Matrix. There's a lot of inspiration from all these sources, so as the fic goes on I think you'll find it has less and less to do with SAO c: Thanks for the heads up, however!**

**Nameless - Haha :). I forgot that was airing...not sure if I'm gonna watch it. I might wait to see the reviews. I had a lot of issues with SAO :P.**

The first thing I remember from back then is the screams. The raucous, piercing cries of everyone in the Player hub. Their horrified screams. Then, like nothing had happened, I was back with Brendan and Benjamin and Miyoko in Littleroot Town. Except Brendan had this look on his face that was somewhere between terror and despondency, and I was shaking, trembling. Neither of us could move.

The wailing came back soon, the screams and everything. I had to explain everything to Miyoko. I'm not sure she understood much. I couldn't really blame her.

I wanted to go home. I really did. I wanted to leave and see my mum and my dad again and my little brother. I wanted out. I just wanted out.  
Apparently, somebody else though the same thing. I saw them run out into the tall grass of Route 101. He didn't appear to have a Pokemon on him. So we stood and watched as he was brutally attacked by wild Pokemon. A Poochyena, at first. Then a Wurmple. Then more. And more. More, until all we could see was the blood dripping from his wounds, and then he vanished into a flash of blue pixels.

A few more people did that. About fifty or sixty, I think, on my server alone. In the whole game, it was estimated that around twenty-thousand people committed suicide in those first three months.

Some of them made it, though. I mean, they tried to go through seriously. You never saw them again. I don't know if they made it through, or if they died somewhere further along. You never saw their bodies, only the blue flash of pixels that seemed to celebrate each and every death this game brought. There was a counter, at the top left of our vision when we brought up the menu, that said how many players were online. That first day, it had been 500,000 exactly.

Today, it was 342,687.

That meant that 237,313 people had died in just these past three months.

A lot of these deaths came a few days after the new rules were announced. People began to drop dead, out of nowhere. I was terrified, at first.

"What the hell's going on?"

He shook his head.

"I guess, in real life, we'll have to be put on life-support or something. I guess some of these guys live alone, or something."

It made sense, but it wasn't any easier to swallow.

"So these people are going to die in their homes, and nobody will even know?"

Brendan shrugged. He had a hard look on his face, matched by Benjamin. Miyoko sat on my shoulder, quiet as ever.

"People will probably find out. They'll get called, and nobody will answer. They won't stay undiscovered."

It was hardly comforting. I'd only been here three days, and the shock still hadn't worn off. Tears began to form at my eyes, for what, the five-hundredth time since this whole ordeal began? I buried my face in my hands, sitting on the floor of the Pokemon Center. Miyoko stroked my back with her tail in repetitive, rhythmic strokes.

"I just want to go home."

Brendan cried a little bit too. He wiped away his tears, saying he didn't want Benjamin to see him cry.

"Yeah. I want to go home too."

A lot of people decided to stay in the Player Hub, rather than playing through a game. They decided they'd wait for a patch, however long it took. However, in the Player Hub, there was no way to access food. The Hunger bar was something else the hooded figure had added last-minute. If our Hunger bar dropped to zero, our HP started decreasing. Then, we would die. The only way we could get food was by visiting a Pokemon Center, or our house in the starting town. It was just another way to kill us off, to keep us playing and fighting for our lives. Eventually, nobody stayed in the Player Hub. They all began to camp in the starting towns of each region – in our case, Littleroot Town. A lot of people cried. I didn't blame them. But crying would solve nothing. Eventually, I brought my head out of my hands and rested my chin on my knees. Miyoko's tiny fingers wiped away the wetness at my eyes. Her soft fingerpads dragged across my skin gently, with just a little bit of friction. I assumed that was how she climbed things so quickly.

Nintendo had impressed me in one way. Miyoko and Benjamin were as real as anything. However, that just made it all harder. In order to complete the game…we'd have fight. Not just once, or twice, but many, many pokemon. And to complete the game without a single Pokemon fainting? Inconcievable. Even I, who'd played through Emerald and Sapphire countless times, had never done something like that. And what if I lost Miyoko? It was just…impossible. I couldn't do that to her.

As the days went by, and they turned into weeks, things began to change. A lot of people did decide to leave. We never saw them again. Except for one. He came back screaming, his HP down to one, or two points. He was bleeding, too. A crowd gathered around. We'd never seen anything like it.

"The….player-killers…"

Just like that first day, the crowd looked at each other confusedly.

"Don't…..leave Littleroot Town…you'll be attacked…"

His voice was cut short as he vanished in a flash of blue pixels.

It wasn't long until we discovered exactly what he meant. Player-killers, or PK-ers, as we called them for short, were everywhere. In particular, they would hide outside of safe zones, and ambush unsuspecting Players, killing their pokemon, and forcing the Player to hand over their money and useful items, then killing them too.

It was just another way to keep us trapped. Another reason not to leave the safe zones. As if we didn't already have enough. We waited, and we waited, and we waited. Hoping for a patch. Hoping for someone to come save us from our own version of Hell.

But it never came. I knew why. I think most of us did. We were fools, anyway. Fools holding onto a hope that never existed in the first place. The game couldn't be patched. In order for a patch to be applied, all Players had to be logged out first. However, if we were forcibly logged out, we'd die. It was a Catch-22. Stay and die, leave and die. Our options were 'or death'.

"You still hoping for a patch?"

The floor of the Pokemon Center was hard to sit on. My arse hurt from sitting there too long. I didn't feel like moving, though. Brendan sat beside me, a dark look on his face.

"I gave up hoping a long time ago."

For those three months after the announcement, we sat and waited. We cried. Maybe we laughed, though only bitterly. Maybe somebody cracked a smile, once or twice. But mostly, we sat and waited, and talked about the outside world. Sometimes, we talked about leaving Littleroot Town. Other players joined in, sometimes. We fantasized about escaping, about getting out and getting back to the real world. We just ended up bitter, though. It wasn't like it was a reality.

Our Pokemon didn't really play. I'd seen Mudkips and Torchics and Treeckos running around befor the announcement, but now, they all stuck close to their Trainers, taking everything more seriously. Their personalities didn't change, but Miyoko was a lot quieter than before. Benjamin looked on at the world as if he was surrounded by enemies, defiant.

Sometimes, me and Brendan discussed leaving,seriously. This was one of such conversations.

"Maybe we really should leave. It's been almost four months now. I don't know how much more I can take."

Brendan spoke evenly, without facing me.

"And die? I'd rather be bored and alive than dad."

"We could make it. You and me."

He looked at me, a small conviction in his eyes.

"You're crazy."

"Let's get out of here, you and me."

He'd shifted from sitting next to me, and was now on all fours, legs either side of mine, hands either side of my hips. His face was dangerously close, I could almost taste his breath. Stubble didn't grow in Pokemon Online, so his chin was smooth. His dark eyes only matched the chocolate-caramel of his skin. A few tufts of hair stuck out from underneath the green and white hat he wore, resembling the male character one could play as in the console version of Emerald. I leaned back against the wall, intimidated.

"We'd never make it."

I could feel his breath on my face.

"We would."

He was so convinced; I was confused. I didn't know where it had come from. My face hardened.

"I'm not leaving. I don't want to die."

I guess I convinced him at that point. He leant back, putting distance between us again. He stood up.

"Fine then."

He walked towards the door of the Pokemon Center, and turned back to look at me.

"I'm getting out of here right now, though."

He walked out, followed by Benjamin. Immediately, I was on my feet, clambering after him. He'd begun to run, having left the Pokemon Center. I screamed and shouted at him, catching the attention of everyone in the vicinity.

"Brendan!"

He didn't turn around and wait for me.

"Brendan!"

He slowed to a walk at the entrance to Route 101. I praised my lucky stars, thinking he must have heard me. He looked down at Benjamin. He inhaled. Then he stepped out into Route 101. My face paled.

"Stop! Brendan, get back! You'll be killed!"

I screamed and shouted at him, over and over again. He didn't turn around, though. A crowd had gathered, watching him. He ran into the tall grass, recklessly, like an idiot. Benjamin was at his ankles, matching his pace. I'd seen this sight far too often. Someone would dart out in the tall grass, overestimate their abilities, and get themselves killed.

I was right. A Poochyena revealed itself. It growled and snarled, facing Benjamin. Brendan pointed at the Poochyena and yelled something. The Torchic, like lightning, was up close to the Poochyena, and scratched it ferociously. As Benjamin landed, however, he was tackled to the side by the wolf Pokemon. Benjamin fell on his back, the Poochyena pinning him to the ground. I couldn't look.

I couldn't look.

Then the Poochyena vanished into a flash of blue pixels.

Benjamin looked satisfied, and Brendan bent down to pat him on the head. Brendan had won. The Poochyena was dead. Brendan still didn't look back, though. He ran out, until I couldn't see him anymore. I was shell-shocked. He'd won.

But he hadn't come back. Miyoko was on my shoulder, with a troubled expression. She looked at me, searching for confirmation. The way she leaned forwards, I knew she wanted to.

And I knew I had to.

So, like a blind idiot, I ran after him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi there everyone! Sorry this took so long to come out - I've got mock exams coming up so writing is slow.**

**silva fox14 - :D! Thank you! Yeah, I know what you mean - it seems kinda cool and heroic in principle but in reality? Not so fun...**

**Jfie - Yes, the PKers. I took an interesting twist, and used the in-game NPC trainers as the PKers in this fic, so if you look at the trainer listings for Emerald, you'll likely see some parallels :). As for the 'only one person can clear the game' - this is true, but once that happens, everyone is released. **

**As for Brendan, he was more in a rush to get away from Littleroot, rather than play it safe. This'll be explored later, but one of the reasons he acted so recklessly was because he thought Total didn't think he was strong enough to protect them both - both Total and Brendan have a complex about keeping each other safe due to certain events that occurred before the game, though I swear it's not romantic. Pokemon: Online is essentially a regular Pokemon game, but with other people running around too.**

**As for the missing 20,000, that was deliberate ;). As in, 20,000 are in limbo, or unaccounted for. This becomes very important far in the future when I introduce the second protagonist, and we culminate in the clearing of the final region. And ah, yes, that typo. My apologies - spellchecker is difficult on an iPad.**

**I'm very glad my writing has improved, however! I was very proud of the second chapter, so I'm glad I have reason to be :).**

**Finally, you're totally welcome! I absolutely love receiving reviews, it gives me the warmest of fuzzies! Therefore, I think it's important to respond to them, to show my appreciation :). Thank you again for such a lovely review!**

**yuangreen23 - Have no fear, the similarities to SAO end here. With 20 or so chapters already written, I assure you it deviates almost completely from SAO. As for the shipping, not for a very long time. I don't know if this story will even get that far - but I really hope it does, because the little love story I have planned is pretty special to me 3.**

**Red Alfa - Aw, thanks man! I really made an effort to do so in this chapter, so I'm glad that worked! However, you're wrong about Laughing Coffin. PKers are usually individuals, as there are no systems to govern sharing between players. Also, no, there are no 'floors'. The entire world is accessible to all who can make it there - if you have a Pokemon with Surf, you can skip Rustboro Gym and etc :). Even two players can surf on one Pokemon, if it's big enough.**

**Faux999 - Pretty much! Except, aren't the Pokemon also kind of similar to humans? Makes things a little morally ambiguous, I suppose. As for recovery, it's pretty much one-hit kills, as the Trainers only have a single hit point, so there's no need :).**

**Aozan - Gyahuh, I'm glad! I really wanted to convert those emotions! And I'm glad you like my more realistic interpretation of the SAO concept - I had some problems with the characterisation of Kirito and Asuna in SAO so I really wanted to make it more 'realistic'. Glad it seems to be working :)!**

I ran into the tall grass thoughtlessly. Miyoko climbed down from my shoulder and ran alongside me, at my feet. What would I encounter in Route 101? I wracked my brain for answers. Poochyena? Zigzagoon? Wurmple? Was that it? My question was given a definitive answer almost immediately. A Poochyena leapt out of the tall grass, facing me. It growled, snarled, and prepared itself, as if it was about to attack. Miyoko darted forwards, arms out as if to guard me from an attack. Then, the battle menu came up. At the side of my vision was Miyoko's HP bar, and a list of her attacks, their types, and PP. On the opposite side, I could see the Poochyena's HP bar. It was Level 3. Not difficult, provided it didn't get a critical hit. However long I waited, though, it didn't attack. I guessed this was the turn-based system in real-time. So, I called an attack, despite my own internal fear.

"Miyoko, use Pound!"

The little green Pokemon darted forwards, coming face-to-face with the unsuspecting wolf Pokemon, and spun, slamming her tail against it. The Poochyena yelped and slid slideways, falling over. However, it tackled Miyoko to the ground before she could land on both feet. Miyoko crashed to the ground, the Poochyena pinning her to the ground. It snarled in her face, unleasing a ferocious growl, Miyoko flinched. I was terrified. Miyoko could do this, right?

"Use Pound, again!"

Miyoko pushed her assailant off with her back feet, landing upright in one smooth motion, then darted forward and slammed the Poochyena with her tail again. It cringed, but didn't fall.

"One more time! Pound!"

Miyoko leapt into the air, curled into a ball, spinning, and unleashed her final attack. The Poochyena vanished in a flash of blue pixels, and then it was…gone. Miyoko stood up straight, and walked back over to me. I was both shocked and relived, all at once. Miyoko was okay. I was okay. We were alive. I didn't move, just sat down.

"Holy shit."

Miyoko tilted her head, not expressionless but calm, quiet. She crossed her arm, like she usually did. It wasn't an arrogant, or impatient gesture, but more it exemplified how relaxed she was.

"Are you alright?"

Miyoko's quiet voice surprised me. I began to laugh, though bitterly, in spite of our situation.  
"I should be asking you that, not me."

I stood up, Miyoko returning to my ankles. The crowd in Littleroot cheered and gasped, but I ignored them. I had to find Brendan.  
Three Poochyena and a Wurmple later, I reached Oldale Town. It was small, much smaller than Littleroot, and with far fewer Players. There could only have been around twenty houses, not including the Pokemon Center and Mart. The trees that surrounded in the whole town looked stupidly homogeanous, just the same as those that encircled Littleroot Town. However, perhaps because of its far more modest size, it seemed somewhat more refreshing. The grass was far less trodden beneath my shoes, and it seemed like each blade held its own droplet of dew.

I headed to the Pokemon Center first. Miyoko, whilst not looking any different, was on yellow health, and instead of walking at my feet was resting on my shoulder. I had no idea where Brendan had gone, though. He'd shut off tracking, so I couldn't locate him via the menu, either. He was a huge idiot, and he was going to get himself killed if I didn't stop him. Lost in my own thoughts, I stumbled and also fell as I tripped over the legs of someone.

"Oh, sorry!"

The owner of the legs stood up and apologized profusely to me. He was a boy who looked a little younger than me, with mint green hair, ghostly white skin and blue eyes. He wore a white collared shirt and tan slacks, whilst a Mupkip sat at his feet.

"It's fine. I wasn't looking where I was going."

I apologized briefly, returning Miyoko to her pokeball. She didn't complain, though I knew how much she preferred being able to experience the world with her own eyes. The boy didn't seem to be in any hurry, and chatted nervously with me.

"So, did you come from Littleroot Town? I haven't seen you around here."

I wasn't really in the mood for a conversation, but the boy's eyes were so earnest I decided to oblige him whilst Miyoko was getting healed. I handed over Miyoko's Pokeball to the NPC Nurse, and she moved away, behind the counter and into another room.

"Uh, yeah. I'm looking for an idiot friend of mine who ran out here recklessly."

The boy tilted his head.

"Oh yeah, what does he look like? I might have seen him."

I raised my eyebrows. Maybe the kid could be of use.

"He's got brown eyes, dark skin and darker hair, and he's wearing a white hat with a green stripe around the base."

The boy nodded, gesturing to outside the Pokemon Center.

"Oh, yeah, I saw him. He ran in here, healed his Torchic, then raced out, headed for Route 103."

I praised Arceus under my breath. That idiot probably forgot Route 103 was a dead end unless he had surf.

"Really? Thanks, man. You're a lifesaver. I'm Total by the way."

He smiled.

"I'm Wallace, or Wally, as most people call me, and this is Bastiel."

Wally gestured to the Mudkip beside him, who sat on his hind legs and waved at me. The Nurse called my name, returning Miyoko to me. I released her from her Pokeball.

"Hey, Miyoko, this is Wally and Bastiel."

Miyoko greeted the two, blinking slowly.

"My name is Miyoko. It's good to meet you."

She climbed up on my shoulder again.

"Shall we go?"

It was then that I noticed Miyoko had a unique way of emphasizing the last word of each of her sentences. It wasn't all that noticeable, but she said each word just a little differently. It made her sound a little colder, a little calmer, but not in a bad way. I'd listened to the other Pokemon, but none of them had the same verbal tic. It was kind of…cute. In a weird way. I glanced at her, and smiled wanly.

"Let's do it. See ya, Wally."

He waved goodbye to me as we left the Pokemon Center, and we headed north, to Route 103. The crowd didn't gather around like they had at Littleroot. It was kind of nice. Miyoko climbed down, at my ankles again. Then, we stepped out. I don't know if I noticed before, but each time you left a safe area, such as a town or city, there was a slight shimmering effect. White particles would flash gently around you, turning red as they faded. Maybe to represent the likely death that would follow.

Thankfully, Route 103 was short. We managed to completely avoid wild battles, except for one Poochyena that decided to try its luck. I noticed then, that Miyoko had levelled up significantly. White particles exploded around her, signifying her newfound strength.

"Good job."

I smiled. We'd have a much higher chance of making it back to Littleroot Town, or, hell, even Oldale Town would suffice now. Miyoko was now Level Eight, twice that of any wild Pokemon on Route 103. She still had full HP, too, having knocked out the Poochyena with a lucky critical hit.

Then, I saw him.

"Brendan! There you are!"

He turned around. He was standing at the very top of Route 103, facing the water that burned a chilling blue, and sparkled ferociously, rebelling against the harsh, false sunlight that was masqueraded behind a layer of clouds. He had a dark look on his face, and Benjamin beside him looked equally unhappy. I ran up to him, stopping as soon as I got close. I reached for his shoulder.

"I'm so glad I found you. Now, come on, lets-"

"So you decided to leave anyway."

"…huh?"

He shrugged off my hand, and turned around to face me. He was smiling, despite the look he'd had before he noticed me. Benjamin greeted Miyoko happily.

"I'm glad you decided to leave. We can make it, you know. We can beat this game. We've done it before, right? We just have to do it again."

I was shocked.

"Brendan, are you insane? We'll get ourselves killed! Now come on, stop this. We're going back to Littleroot."

I reached out to take his hand, but he smacked it away, irritation in his eyes.

"I'm not going back. I'm going to beat this game."

I reached out for his hand again.

"Stop being an idiot. Just take a moment to think this through! Let's go back to Littleroot, and-"

"I've had three months to think this through!"

Brenadan shouted at me suddenly. I retracted my hand, staring at him.

"I've been debating this for three months. We're not getting out of here unless we do it ourselves. Nobody's going to come save us. There's no patch coming."

Benjamin came to stand in front of Brendan.

"I'm not going to die in here. I'm going to beat this game. I certainly will. But if you're going to stand in my way, Total…"

He gestured to Benjamin.

"Then I'll defeat you like the rest."

I stared at him, incredulous.

"What the hell, Brendan? What's going on with you? Is there something wrong with your head? I'm your best friend!"

He looked me in the eyes, glaring at me.

"No, something finally went right with my head! I'm not going to die a slow and painful death in this game, waiting for help that's never going to come! I'm going to live, and escape this hellhole!"

I began to scream at him, trying to get him to see reason.

"You mean you're going to get yourself killed! This isn't a game anymore, Brendan, this is life or death! You'll get murdered by player-killers, or torn apart by wild Pokemon! Take your pick! Be bored but alive, or dead! Which do you want?"

His eyes narrowed.

"I don't want to leave you behind, Total. I'll ask you one more time. Come with me. Travel with me. We'll beat this game together."

I shook my head, unbelieving.

"No way. I don't want to die."

He shook his head.

"You won't! You know this game better than anyone. Better than me. If anyone can beat it, you can."

I wasn't sure what to say to that.

"No, just…..just shut up!"

I sighed internally. I was never the greatest at comebacks. Brendan clicked his tongue, and sighed.

"You're still not convinced? Then battle me. Battle me, and you'll see how we can destroy this game together."

I wasn't sure what to do, but Miyoko stepped forwards, apparently prepared.

"…are you sure, Miyoko? Benjamin's a fire type, and you're a grass type…"

Miyoko looked me quizzically.

"Of course. Why would I not be? You're my trainer, and I will protect you."

Such a simple statement. I smiled bitterly, inhaling.

"…okay. Let's do this."

Because we weren't in a safe zone, battles could be initiated at any time. Brendan called his attack first.

"Benjamin, scratch!"

The torchic leapt forward and scratched Miyoko's stomach with his claws, leaping into the air with both feet.

"Miyoko, Pound!"

Before Benjamin could land, Miyoko slammed her tail in its side, spinning. The torchic was hurled sideways, slamming into the Cliffside that overlooked Route 103.

"Die."

Miyoko ran forwards again, waiting for my call. Benjamin slowly stood up, but I could see the fear in his eyes as Miyoko approached, lightning-quick.

"…Pound…"

I called out Miyoko's next attack shakily. Miyoko executed it perfectly. She immediately closed the space between her and the torchic, a somewhat demonic look in her wide eyes. Her pupils, cat-like as they were, dilated, and a small smile crossed her face.

"Sentence to DEATH."

Miyoko slammed Benjamin once more with her tail. The Pokemon was still. I didn't move. Brendan was the only one of us who wasn't paralysed by shock.

"Benjamin!"

Brendan's pained cry resounded, echoed by the walls of the cliff. The hurt in his voice was so thick, I felt as if I could have touched it. He rushed over to Benjamin, cradling the Pokemon's body in his arms. Benjamin was barely breathing. Miyoko had almost killed him in just two hits. Brendan's eyes teared up, and he glared at me, hatred in his eyes.

"Get out."

The spite in his voice was so strong it knocked the breath out of me. Miyoko, at some point, had returned to my side.

"Take your overpowered murder machine and get out. Learn to control your Pokemon. You almost killed Benjamin! What the hell is wong with you?"

I didn't know what to say. I reached out a hand towards him.

"Go."

Just that one word knocked all the breath out of me.

"But…"

He stood up, still cradling Benjamin in his arms. He wiped away the wetness at the corners of his eyes.

"If you won't leave, then I will."

"But I'm sorry…"

Pitiful words. Brendan waded through the long grass fearlessly. I guess he got lucky, because I saw him enter the safe area without encountering any wild Pokemon. I would have sat down, but I needed to get back to Oldale Town. I waded through the long grass, back to the safe area. Thankfully, no wild Pokemon came to challenge us. Miyoko trudged alongside me.

Inside the Pokemon Center, nobody came to talk to me. Wally was gone. I wondered if he'd worked up the courage to go on to Petalburg City. Maybe he had. Brendan was nowhere to be seen, either. I'd healed Miyoko, then taken a seat at one of the free tables. Dinner was on offer. It was macaroni cheese. I just picked at mine, though. Miyoko sat opposite me, looking sad.

"Am I really a murder machine?"

The way she spoke, in her usual almost-but-not-quite-monotone voice, sounded far different from how she'd sounded in battle. The enunciated the last word of her sentence, as usual. I shook my head.

"No, of course not. You didn't mean to, right?"

Miyoko looked troubled.

"I was created solely to do battle. That is my purpose. If I cannot win for you, my trainer, then…"

"Hey."

She looked at me, her mouth tiny, a straight line. I wore a hard expression.

"What do you mean, created solely to do battle?"

Miyoko closed her eyes.

"I came into existence when you chose me as your starter. It is my duty to protect you. It is even more important now that I do so, considering your life is at risk."

I guessed she was right. It didn't help, though.

"I was just doing my job."

It was a blatant excuse, but the way Miyoko looked at me, yellow eyes intense and apologetic, that I realised for her, it was all she could do.

In this life or death game, it was either murder or be murdered. Kill or be killed.

There really wasn't a choice, was there?


	4. Chapter 4

**Shiny Silver Eevee – Yep. That theme :l. Not exactly nice, but it does add an animalistic realistic, slightly grimdark note to the story. It's a serious story, I suppose, tackling issues such as AIs vs Human lives, and what constitutes as life. Plus other things, I suppose, but the AI issue is the biggest one here.**

**Silva fox14 – Hehe, thanks ^-^! But yeah, AIs seem like a great idea, but…is it worth it? How much pain would you be putting an AI in to have all the qualities of a human, but never actually be considered human? It's cruel, if you ask me, but sometimes cruelty is necessary. The decision is up to you ;).**

**Red Alfa – Thanks 3! I'm really glad this chapter struck you hard, because I had a lot of fun writing it! Hopefully my writing only gets better as we press on c:. There are even viewpoints other than Total's, such as Miyoko's, to look forward to!**

**Aozan – Thanks youuuuu! I'm glad you liked the fight scene, I was quite nervous about writing it as I've never written many fight scenes before, so it's kind of a toughie. Welp, here's your new chapter!**

**Pokemonfan67 – Haha, thanks man! Yeah, poor Benjamin, but, I mean, you've got a point. It almost seems like Brendan is mad for another reason, right? ;)**

I didn't sleep much that night. The Pokémon Center had beds for travelling trainers. Miyoko refused to sleep.

"I do not require sleep."

I think she was just worried. It was like her to be so, after all. Her tail twitched every now and then, as she sat, arms folded, leaning against the bed. We were in a safe zone, so there was no need for her to stay on guard. I don't think she felt safe, though. Or maybe she just wanted some quiet time to think.

I kept replaying the battle with Brendan over and over again in my head. It was almost a universal law, now, that even if two Trainers were to battle, once one Pokémon's HP reached the red zone, the fight would be over. You didn't fight to kill. You just fought to test your abilities. For most players, killing another's Pokémon was a taboo. You'd never be trusted again. People would actively drive you out. You were no better than a PKer, in their eyes. In my opinion, that was probably a little harsh. I guess it was necessary, though. Nobody wanted to die. They were just taking precautions. The sacrifice of one for the good of many. It was a harsh reality.

Could you even call this reality, though?

I kept seeing Benjamin's bruised, battered body in my head. Brendan's look of despondence as he realised Benjamin was almost dead. I couldn't get it out of my head. He kept telling me to go, to leave. That he never wanted to see me again. Did I imagine that last one? I'd gone looking all around Oldale Town, searching for him. I'd asked around, even. Yet nobody had seen him. I'd even gone back to Littleroot, trying to find him. I asked the guys who were standing at the entrance to Route 101. They said they hadn't seen him since he left, either. That left me with one horrible conclusion. Brendan must have gone on to Route 102, aiming for Petalburg City. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I knew he would have. I'd known it before I'd even started searching. I'd known it was a fruitless attempt. I just wanted to deny myself that small hope.

"Hey, Miyoko. You awake?"

I'd only slept a few hours. I could hear the gentle, and in some cases less gentle breathing of the other Trainers who slept in the Oldale Pokémon Center. It was still dark, probably one or two in the morning. Miyoko didn't turn around, but replied to me in that quiet, almost robotic way of hers.

"Of course."

"Do you think…we should go after Brendan?"

She didn't say anything for quite a while. I think she was thinking the exact same thing as I had been. For her, it was probably a little more personal, though. Benjamin was her friend – they'd known each other almost as long as they'd existed. They'd played together, and talked endlessly about the world they lived in. And she'd almost killed him. I think I knew pretty well how she felt. Knowing her, even, she probably blamed herself wholly.

"It's not your fault, you know. I'm your Trainer. The responsibility is mine."

Miyoko stood up and turned around immediately, her yellow eyes bright and fierce. The pupils of her eyes trembled, just a little.

"If I had controlled myself, Benjamin would never have gotten hurt so badly."

I'd never heard Miyoko raise her voice before – apart from in battle. Well, in all honesty, it was still quiet. However, she sounded far more intense than usual. Her verbal tic was far more pronounced, too. The way she said 'badly' was, in musical terminology, off-key. But to me, it sounded like she wanted to cry.

"And if I hadn't told you attack, Benjamin wouldn't have gotten hurt, and Brendan wouldn't hate me. You can't attack without my orders. You had no choice."

Miyoko's rage left her, but she remained stubborn.

"I could have weakened my attack. I lost control."

Miyoko slumped, falling to her knees as she spoke.

"What do you mean, you lost control?"

Miyoko sighed. She'd stopped looking me in the eyes, but I knew she was being honest. Miyoko wouldn't lie. Not to me.

"I told you before. I was created solely to do battle."

I tiled my head.

"You said that before, yeah. But that doesn't really explain anything to me."

Miyoko finally looked up, shaking her head.

"For all of us…Pokémon, we do not age. You humans get older and grow simply by existing. For us Pokémon, it is not that simple. For us to grow, to age, and mature, we must battle. Thus, for us, we will remain the same unless we battle. When we...'level up', it is a sign we are becoming more able to control our powers."

It finally started to click in my head.

"So you're saying…"

Miyoko nodded, solemnly.

"It because I am immature that Benjamin was hurt so badly."

I finally understood it then. The whole premise of battling – and why Miyoko was beating herself up about it. I still had one question, though. However, I didn't feel like I could grill her any more about this, so I decided to let it go.

"You know…the only way for you to grow is to level up, right? And our only means of that is battling, right?"

Miyoko sniffed, and nodded.

"That is correct."

I sighed.

"If you still desire my opinion on this matter…"

Miyoko spoke up again, not looking me in the eyes.

"…I would like the opportunity to apologize. To Benjamin. And Brendan."

Miyoko looked up at me.

"That is why…if you still desire my opinion…I would like to follow them."

It made sense. I think I wanted to apologize too. I made a mistake. I told Miyoko to attack, when it was obvious Miyoko was stronger. Brendan had probably seen that. Maybe that was why he hadn't called a second attack. I did want to apologize as well. But was it worth it? We were lucky, sure, that no PKers lurked on Route 101 or 103. We were lucky we didn't get killed by wild Pokémon. Was an apology worth risking my life? I didn't know.

"If you still are hesitant, it may be worth gaining another team mate to protect you alongside me. That way, if anything ever happens to me, you won't be unprotected."

I was a little shocked. Catch a Pokémon? Force them to protect me? Miyoko may have wanted to protect me, but there was no guarantee any other Pokémon would want to. Why on Earth – well, Hoenn? – should they risk their own lives for me?

"Why would I force somebody else to risk their life for me?"

Miyoko shook her head, her tiny fingers grasping the edge of the bed as she moved closer. She was just tall enough to rest her elbows on the edge.

"It would not be forced. I told you before; all Pokémon must battle to grow. However, we cannot grow and level up unless we have a Trainer. That is why a wild Pokémon will fight for you. If not for you, then they will fight for themselves. Being caught is a mutually beneficial arrangement, and it is one all wild Pokémon seek to obtain. That is why they attack Trainers. To show their strength, and to prove themselves, so that they might be caught."

It made sense.

"So…if I caught a Pokémon, they'd willingly fight for me? I wouldn't be forcing them to do anything against their will?"

Miyoko shook her head again.

"No."

"I see…"

It did make sense. It explained why, in the console versions, Pokémon you'd caught would obey you without fail. Why battles existed in the first place. Everything.

"Okay."

I inhaled deeply. I supposed tomorrow I'd keep going with this suicide mission. Because, eventually, I'd die, right? But maybe…maybe, I thought, I could find Brendan and stop him before he dies too. Miyoko didn't smile, but the troubled expression left her face, and she looked calm again. Calm, relaxed, poised. How she'd looked before Brendan ran off. I smiled, reaching out a hand to rub her head gently. The top of her head was smooth, and surprisingly not scaley.

"Good night, Miyoko."

"Good night."

I closed my eyes again, hoping to hell I could finally get some sleep. Not that that was likely, or anything. My stomach was now filled with fear, anxiety, and strangely, anticipation. Bring it on, I thought. Bring it on.

The morning was bright and happy, in contrast to the ever-present brooding atmosphere the game now held. I flung off the covers, disturbing Miyoko, who had despite her determined words, curled up and fallen asleep.

"Good morning, Miyoko."

Miyoko's eyes opened with a flash, and she was on her feet before I could blink. Unfazed, she kept a calm, relaxed expression.

"Good morning."

I turned way so she couldn't see me giggle. She probably heard me, though, but if she did, she said nothing. I walked out of the room quickly, ignoring the other Trainers. We tended not to talk, anyway. I had to admit, there were slight perks to living in the game. I never had to do my hair, and I never had to change my clothes. Each night, all the mud and accumulated dirt was wiped away. I stepped out of bed each morning as if I was freshly showered, and had just finished getting ready for the day.

Breakfast was plain; cornflakes with milk. Not that it really mattered to me. Food was food. I wasn't starving, and it was free. Miyoko ate some variety of Pokémon food, munching away happily. Neither of us said anything. I was nervous. I got the feeling Miyoko was too, though she acted no different than normal.

After breakfast, I stopped by the Pokémon Center, to make sure Miyoko was healed. Then, the Poke Mart, to invest in a few potions, antidotes, and other status healers. You could never be too careful.

Finally, I was ready. It was still morning – probably around 10am. Miyoko was at my ankles, not my shoulder this time. I stood in Oldale Town, facing Route 102. I looked down at Miyoko.

"You ready?"

Miyoko nodded, looking ahead, not at me.

"Of course."

I stepped out of the safe zone, and into Route 102. It looked much the same as Route 101 and 103 aesthetically. Haphazard grass growing everywhere. Trees looming over us. I kept walking, headed for the first patch of tall grass I saw. Suddenly, Miyoko fell to the ground.

"Miyoko!"

I shouted loudly, as a Poochyena threw itself at her, snarling and growling. I saw its health bar – it was level five.

"But….there are no level five…."

It clicked in my head. A PKer. We'd been attacked. A voice shouted out, all above us.

"Drop your money and get out, unless you want you and your Treecko want to die."

I looked around, searching for my assailant. Miyoko grappled with the Poochyena, trying to get it off of her. I couldn't see anyone.

"Show yourself, you bastard! Miyoko, absorb!"

Green particles flew at Miyoko as she attacked the wolf-dog. I saw its hindquarters slump a little, and Miyoko flung it off of her.

"Now, Pound!"

Miyoko ran at the Poochyena, and quicker than it could dodge, slammed it with her tail. Its health was in the red zone. Miyoko forced it on its back, revealing its soft stomach. Even an absorb, at that range, would have killed it. But I wasn't a killer. And neither was Miyoko. Yet, I couldn't let the PKer know that.

"Show yourself, or I'll kill your Poochyena. This is your only Pokémon, right?"

The bushes rustled, and the figure revealed itself.

To my utter shock, it was a little boy.

He couldn't have been more than ten, and the top of his head only reached up to my shoulders. I wasn't particularly tall, either. His eye were defiant, but they were red, as if he'd wiped away tears.

"What do you think you're doing?"

I had no choice but to be harsh. The kid had threatened to kill Miyoko and I, and I wasn't about to let that go. He sniffled, but held his ground.

"I was just going to take some of your money. I don't have any. PKers took all mine. And they killed Annie."

I feel even more shocked, but I wasn't finished yet.

"So you decided to do the same?"

He sniffled, eyes red and watery.

"…yeah."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. I'd decided to wear it down today.

"Call off your Poochyena. I won't attack you."

The boy begrudgingly complied. I told Miyoko to release it, and the wolf-dog ran up to the boy, standing guard at his feet and glaring at me with hostility.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Calvin."

"What happened to you?"

The boy began to recount to me how he'd made it to Petalburg City, with his starter, a Torchic named Annie. He'd caught his Poochyena on Route 103. Eventually, he decided to head towards Rustboro. However, he was attacked by PKers. They killed his starter, and took all of his money, leaving him with no way to buy Pokeballs to catch more Pokemon.

I sighed.

"I'm sorry about Annie. But, you know kid? Becoming a PKer yourself? What the hell? Are you a murderer?"

The boy shook his head fervently.

"You understand, right? When somebody dies in this game, they die in real life. There's no whiting out, no respawning, no second chances. If you kill somebody's Pokemon, you may as well have killed them as well. Do you understand that?"

Calvin nodded, eyes watering again. I sighed again.

"Here."

I brought up my menu, and went into my inventory. In my hand materialised and red-and-white, perfectly spherical Pokeball. The boy's eyes went wide.

"Are you…giving this to me?"

I nodded, and gestured towards Oldale Town.

"Yeah. Go back there, and catch another Pokemon and Route 101 or 103. Train there for a bit. But if I ever see you threatening somebody innocent again, I won't hesitate to make you regret it."

I leaned closer to Calvin as I said it, giving him a menacing look. The boy's shoulders trembled, but he nodded.

"Y-yes. Thank you!"

He darted off towards Oldale Town, his Poochyena following him. I sighed, for what, the tenth time in the space of fifteen minutes? Still, it scared me. Calvin was only ten. He was just ten, and he was trying to kill someone. This game was turning ten year olds, little kids, into murderers. And for what purpose? Why was this even happening? I sat down. Nobody else appeared to be around, so I supposed I was safe. Miyoko came to sit beside me.

"You were good in that, you know."

She looked at me with huge yellow eyes.

"Really?"

I nodded.

"Yeah. You controlled yourself really well."

Miyoko looked away, but I thought she was smiling. She didn't say anything else. After a few minutes, I stood up.

"Let's go. Time to catch a teammate."

Miyoko nodded, and stood alongside me. Holding my breath, I once again stepped into the tall grass.


	5. Chapter 5

**i**

**i sorta forgot to update this**

**we're up to chapter 23 on the nuzforums**

**woops**

** Pkmnfreak777 - Haha, thanks man! (woops) it's not dead i swear**

** neaucleareactor - Thanks a bunch ^-^. There is shipping, but quite frankly I try to keep it to a minimum. Romance doesn't become important here until Kanto. Which is ages away. **

** Red Alfa - Ahhh, thank you ^-^! I hope you enjoy this chapter~**

** Aozan - Eheh, I'm glad my writing is inciting a response out of you c:**

** Shiny Silver Eevee - Yeah, this story takes a whole bunch of inspiration from various places.**

** pokemonfan67 - I know, poor kids. You wonder if somebody's gonna start looking after them; they're only little.**

** MysteriousGengar - Thanks man!**

The tall grass lay before me, menacing as ever. It was kind of scary. I knew Miyoko would easily be able to deal with any wild Pokemon I encountered, but that didn't dispel my fears. One critical hit, and I could be dead within minutes – seconds even. I shuddered, but pressed on. Miyoko was a high level. We were going to be fine. I held my breath and I stepped into the tall grass. Wading through, I waited, looking around nervously for a wild Pokemon – any Pokemon.  
"Are you ready?"  
I asked Miyoko, because if she was ready, then I'd have to be.  
"Yes."  
She nodded, looking at up at me with conviction. Her feline-esque eyes were so filled with determination, I couldn't help but feel a little relieved.  
Suddenly, it began. A wild Pokemon leapt out from the tall grass. In all honesty, I should have been used to it. I'd battled enough wild Pokemon in my lifetime. It shouldn't be so surprising. But there was something about this game – maybe it was the fact I could die at any moment – that made each encounter equally terrifying.  
It was a Wurmple, of all things. Not exactly threatening. Still, one lucky critical hit was all it took to completely turn the tables. It prepared itself, waiting.  
"Miyoko, use Absorb!"  
Being a bug-type, and with Absorb having such a low base power, it was the best option. I didn't want to waste Pokeballs (and therefore money) because I recklessly threw a Pokeball at a healthy Pokemon.  
Green glowing orbs surround Miyoko, and flew into her body. The Wurmple's muscles relaxed, and it slumped. I looked at its HP bar intensely. It was at red health. It had just survived. I sighed, relieved. The Wurmple released a jet of sticky web at Miyoko, circling her legs.  
Next came actually catching it. Miyoko stared down the Wurmple. I touched the items section on my menu, selecting a Pokeball. It manifested in my hand. I'll admit, I was surprised. I didn't expect we'd have to throw it ourselves – but then, now that I think about it, it made sense. That was how you catch Pokemon, after all. I pressed the white button that separated the red and white halves of the ball. It activated, growing in size. Then, I hurled it at the worm Pokemon.  
My aim was slightly off. The Pokeball bounced to the side, missing totally. However, it still opened, and the Wurmple vanished in a flash of red light. The ball shut, and fell to the ground. It began to rock. Back. Forth. Back. Forth. I held my breath. I was surprised, somewhat. Seeing the Pokeball rock back and forth in person only intensified the anticipant feeling you got when you tried to capture a Pokemon. Back. Forth. I held my breath. Then, suddenly –  
It clicked.  
I'd caught it.  
"Jeez, that was way too intense."  
Beside me, Miyoko nodded. The white web dissolved from around her legs, and she sighed too. Clearly, she'd been as tense as I was.  
"It indeed was difficult to endure."  
I walked over to the Pokeball, and picked it up. I'd caught it. I exhaled again, just for good measure. I decided that I was going to mentally prepare myself if I ever caught another one. I didn't intend to, of course. I was only going to find Brendan. There was no need. I ran out of the tall grass again, thankfully challenged by no other wild Pokemon, and ran back to the Oldale Pokemon Center.  
After healing both Miyoko and the newcomer, I released the Wurmple from his Pokeball. He materialised in a flash of red particles, bowing low.  
"Greetings. My name is Ichabod the fifth. I hail from the great grassy plains of the 102nd path."  
I wasn't sure what to say. This…Ichabod had an interesting style of speech. I wasn't sure if he were pompous or merely formal, but his style of speech seemed…somewhat incorrect, but nonetheless correct. It was difficult to describe how it sounded. Nevertheless, I didn't expect such grandeur from a Wurmple, of all things.  
"Ah,hi. I'm Total, and this is Miyoko. I guess you'll be fighting in my party from now on."  
Ichabod bowed again, this time lifting his eyes to meet mine, though he seemed somewhat submissive.  
"Indeed. Verily, I will therefore perform at my utmost to ensure your protection and to ensure your grand decision in my capture is not regretted for even a moment."  
Again with the formal and overdramatic speech.  
"…okay. Well, you're not at a very high level, so I guess we'll have to train you up."  
Ichabod looked up at me directly, his tiny legs waving in the air.  
"Verily, I will be most happy to undertake this task at your side, milady."  
I forced a smile, still unsure what to think of my new teammate. Miyoko seemed somewhat amused by my reaction, not quite smiling but not quite frowning either. She was sitting on my shoulder, as per usual when we were in a safe zone. Her tiny finger pads gripped the fabric of my hoodie, pulling it slightly. It wasn't uncomfortable, though, as she wasn't heavy. I smiled.  
"Alright, let's go."  
As it turned out, Ichabod did not have an 'OFF' button.  
"Verily, I am most grateful to milady for selecting myself to serve at her side, for it is of the highest honour for one such as myself."  
"…you're welcome, Ichabod."  
"Verily, it is so that I am descended from a great line of Dustox, the patriarchal family to my great species. Verily, it is thus I am of royal blood."  
"…that's great, Ichabod."  
"Verily, I myself am levelling up at the pace at which a Ninjask flies. It is thus that milady's skill as a Trainer is unrivalled."  
"…thanks, Ichabod."  
He didn't keep quiet for a single minute whilst we trained on Route 101. I wasn't sure whether to say anything or not. I wasn't sure if I even could say anything. Ichabod was so completely different from Miyoko's quiet, demure and relaxed nature that if I had handy, I would have fallen off of it fifty times by now.  
"Verily, it would appear my metamorphosis is nearing."  
It was true. We'd been training for an hour or so, and Ichabod was already Level 6. At first, I'd had to run to the Pokemon Center in Oldale after every battle – but now, Ichabod could dispatch at least three or four wild Pokemon before his health went down to yellow. Of course, he said this during a battle – as if he wasn't focussed at all.  
"That's great, Ichabod, but focus on battling, okay? Just worry about winning the battle. Now, Tackle again!"  
Ichabod bowed again.  
"Verily, milady is undoubtedly correct. I offer my most sincere of apologies to you, milady, for my misconduct."  
Then, he launched himself at the Zigzagoon again. It fell to its side, and Ichabod held it down with his body, trying to stop it from moving. The Zigzagoon snapped and growled. It was at red health. One more would do it.  
"Alright Ichabod, finish it off with another Tackle!"  
Ichabod leapt backward, then launched himself at the Zigzagoon before it could return to its feet. The racoon Pokemon fell to the ground, and vanished in a flash of white particles. Ichabod turned to me proudly, wiggling to my feet.  
"Verily, it would appear I have increased my level once again. It is thus milady's skill as a Trainer has allowed such a course of action."  
Suddenly, Ichabod began to glow a hot blue colour. The glow grew in intensity, until my eyes hurt to look. I shut them, hoping to block out some of the intense light. It only took around ten seconds – then, it was over. The glow faded to a faint white, before vanishing completely. I looked back to where Ichabod had once stood. In his place was a pink-purple, somewhat spiky cocoon. It blinked at me, then spoke.  
"Ah, verily it would appear my metamorphosis has begun! It is thus that I myself will soon transform completely! I humbly ask of you, milady, that you do not overlook my new form as inadequate, for in a short time, I shall emerge as something glorious!"  
I wasn't sure how to respond. Again. Forcing a smile, I walked back over to him, and picked him up.  
"Congrats on evolving, Ichabod. And don't worry, I won't…ah….overlook you. You're part of my team."  
Ichabod blushed (it surprised me, too, that cocoons could blush, but apparently they could), and spoke quietly.  
"It humbles me to receive such kind words from milady. I must offer my sincerest thanks."  
I smiled. Whilst Ichabod was overly formal, had a weird style of speech and did not know when to stop talking, he was full of life, and at times even modest. Besides…I somewhat enjoyed being called 'milady'. It made me feel…eloquent?  
We decided to finish training after Ichabod levelled up once more. He was burning with excitement.  
"Verily, I myself am thoroughly looking forward to the journey that which I shall have the honour of accompanying milady on."  
Back at Route 102, I felt remarkably more confident. I don't know if it was merely the fact that I had two partners, not just one, or if Ichabod's enthusiasm was contagious. Either way, I felt a lot better. Miyoko was on my shoulder as per usual, whilst I let Ichabod lead the party. I had to carry him, as he couldn't really move outside of attacking. Fighting wild Pokemon was easier, I thought, when you didn't have to worry about every hit being critical – you could just switch out to a partner with full health. It was a relief.  
"Verily, milady is most safe under our protection."  
Ichabod kept up his incessant chatter the whole time. I think that was the first time I saw Miyoko smile properly. Ichabod didn't shut up for a moment, and she saw my irritation, and must have found it amusing. She looked away, but I could see the traces of a cat-smile on her face. Her mouth looked like a sideways '3' – much like a cartoon cat. It was kind of cute, though I wasn't sure if it was physically possible. Then again, this was Pokemon Online. And, it was kind of nice to see how smile. Her usual expression was so solemn and calm, it was refreshing to see that Miyoko let loose, even just a little bit.  
I was shocked to be attacked by two more PKers on Route 102. A boy with two Wurmple, and another with a Zigagoon and a Taillow. They were both as sheepish as Calvin had been, and once I'd whittled down their HP to red, they ran off. I found it really tragic that kids like them were turning to murder just to get by in this game.  
"It's not fair. They're just little kids."  
Miyoko nodded, whilst Ichabod was notably quiet, to his credit. We were almost at the end of the route. I hoped the other two kids had been able to get back to Oldale Town quickly. They weren't bad kids…they were just forced to play this death-game, in which you kill or be killed. I didn't think they made the right decision – but what was I expecting? These kids had probably never been separated from their parents for more than a week, let alone three months. They were just scared. Scared like the rest of us, and they didn't know what to do. How I could I honestly blame them, when it wasn't their fault they were trapped here to begin with? I sighed.  
That was when I felt someone watching me. I stopped walking and looked around. Nobody was in sight, but Miyoko, on my shoulder, scanned the area with shimmering amber eyes. Ichabod kept silent, but I knew he wanted to say something. I took a cautious step forwards, keeping my eyes peeled, searching for any sign of movement. Then I heard the laughter.  
"Kihihihihihihi."  
It was creepy, eerie, and threatening. My pulse quickened, and I looked around for the source. Ichabod jumped down from my arms, eyes flickering each way each second to prepare for an attack. Nothing. I waited a few more moments, but still, nothing.  
"Show yourself."  
They laughed again, but didn't move.  
"Kihihi."  
The sound was coming from…behind me? I turned around, and there stood a girl with a pitying expression on her face. I faced her, and she smirked, bringing up a hand like a fan over her mouth.  
"Oh my. Looks like this is your unlucky day, trainer."  
She was probably around my age. Probably. She had a Zigzagoon at her feet, and…a Shroomish? I swallowed. The earliest place one could find a Shroomish was the forest before Rustboro City. This girl had gotten farther in this game than I'd heard anyone do. I swallowed my fear. Petalburg City was at my back, and I didn't think I could make it if I ran. Certainly not with Ichabod in his cocoon, legless state. I had to fight.  
"You know, I've been making a bit of a career out of this. Killing Trainers, stealing their money, it's pretty easy if you know where to go."  
The girl smirked again, and her Zigzagoon stepped forwards, its haunches bristling and hackles risen. Ichabod wiggled forwards to meet it. I hesitated. ThougIchabod h the Zigagoon was only Level Four, I had no idea what level her Shroomish was. I could just die. Ichabod could die. Miyoko could die.  
"Agerius, use Tackle!"  
The Zigzagoon darted forwards and slammed itself into Ichabod. The cocoon Pokemon took the Tackle easily, blinking a few times and quivering.  
"Ichabod, Poison Sting!"  
I yelled it loudly, praying the Zigzagoon would get poisoned. Unfortunately, no luck.  
"Tackle, again Agerius!"  
Once more, the Zigzagoon threw itself at Ichabod. His health fell to yellow. This was bad.  
"Poison Sting, once more!"  
Ichabod's spines glowed hot white, before a barrage of them erupted at fired at the Zigzagoon. It was down to red health.  
"Let me leave, and I won't attack you anymore. Call a truce."  
I tried to offer a compromise. I didn't want to kill her Zigzagoon, and I wanted to leave. The girl swore and me, and spat the words back at me.  
"Like hell! Agerius, again! Tackle!"  
Ichabod's health fell one more, and he was knocked back, rolling onto his back, his spines sticking into the ground.  
"Just call your Zigzagoon back. I'll let you go."  
The girl grinned sadistically.  
"You don't want to move? Awesome. Agerius, Tackle!"  
Apparently, not moving was now an option for Trainer battles. The Zigzagoon slammed itself into Ichabod once more, snarling and growling. It pinned Ichabod to the ground. I was frozen. One more attack would kill the Zigzagoon. But one more attack would also kill Ichabod. Should I switch Ichabod out, and send Miyoko in, and try to convince this girl some more? I couldn't decide. I shut my eyes. Weakly, so goddamned weakly, I said it.  
"Ichabod…use Poison Sting…"  
One more, the Zigzagoon was hit by a flurry of white-hot darts. It staggered, wobbling on its feet.  
Then it shattered into a thousand white shards.  
I buried my face in my hands, and screamed at the girl.  
"Will you lay off now?! I just killed your Zigzagoon! Just stop this already!"  
The girl looked at me with hard eyes.  
"Whatever. Ichigo, your turn."  
The Shroomish walked forward, bristling. It glared at me harshly. The battle wasn't finished yet.  
"Miyoko, you go."  
I withdrew Ichabod, knowing he wouldn't last much longer, and gritted my teeth.  
"Miyoko, use Pound."  
Miyoko ran up to the Mushroom Pokemon, instantly closing the distance between them and whirled around, slamming it with her tail. It flew to the side, rolling in the dirt. After merely one hit, it was down to red health. The Shroomish staggered to its feet.  
"Absorb! Go, Ichigo!"  
The Shroomish weakly surrounded itself with green orbs, which flew into its body. Miyoko didn't even flinch. It barely did three damage. The Shroomish remained on red health. The girl gasped.  
"What the hell!?"  
"Just stop it! Just stop it already!"  
I screamed at her, almost ready to cry.  
"Your Zigagoon is already dead! Do you want me to kill your Shroomish too!? Is that what it'll take to stop you!? You're a monster! You're more of a monster than any Pokemon!"  
She glared at me, not saying anything.  
"Just go. Just go."  
She stared at me for a few tense moments. Then, she picked up her Shroomish and ran away, towards Oldale Town. I slumped. What the hell? What kind of psychopath was she? Was that worth it? One of her partners died because she was too much of an idiot to stop. I gave her so many chances to walk away. So many goddamned chances.  
"Come on. We should get moving."  
I turned my back, and walked towards Petalburg City. I needed to keep moving if I was going to find Brendan.


End file.
